In the spirit of the holidays and banding together to achieve common goals, I want to talk about one of the most effective, and often overlooked, forms of marketing: affinity marketing.

When a business partners with another business or organization to provide a product or service in exchange for access to a new set of potential customers, both partners stand to benefit through affinity marketing.

Here’s a mainstream example of affinity marketing – the relationship between Visa and Amazon. Visa offers credit cards to Amazon customers, gaining new customers for itself. Amazon presumably gains more orders from customers taking advantage of the rewards points they receive from shopping on Amazon.

In the sports arena, sponsorships in exchange for advertising on uniforms or stadium walls drive affinity relationships.

But affinity marketing has the potential to be so much more.

In life science marketing, we see affinity marketing at play through collaborations between companies and universities to develop new products. The university publishes its findings, leading to product sales for the partner company.

We also see equipment and consumables companies partner together to provide free consumables samples with new machine purchases. Scientists receive free products and often convert into long-term customers for the consumables company.

Affinity marketing is all about choosing the right partner and aligning your goals to create a combined ROI that is greater than what you would be able to achieve on your own. So how do you pick the right partner?

Values. Look for an organization that shares your corporate values and beliefs. Find people you connect with on a professional and personal level with a mission you can stand behind.

Big Picture Goals. Make sure you share common goals. Whether it is curing cancer or bringing vaccinations to third-world countries, agree on a high-level vision that resonates with everyone on your team.

Audience. Determine how you can leverage each other’s contacts to maximize the impact of your individual and combined efforts.

Synergy. Make sure that there is positive energy, not a competitive atmosphere, between your teams. Challenge each other to work smarter, helping each other along the way.

Measurement. Set milestones and keep each other accountable to your partnership and mutual goals.

As we look toward 2016, it’s time to get creative about how we work together to reach new markets and achieve our common goals. Contact Bill White to learn how you can use affinity marketing to reach new audiences.

Abby Spung, vice president and creative director, has been selected as a panelist in the first Women in Bioscience Conference sponsored by BioOhio on Dec. 9 at the Villa Milano Conference Center in Columbus.

Spung will join other women executives from the marketing and digital media industry in discussing opportunities for women in life science and biotechnology markets.

BioOhio is responding to the rapid rate of change among new communication pathways which present significant challenges to women scientists and researchers, many of whom find themselves in unfamiliar marketing positions in new and emerging growth companies bringing new technologies to the market, Spung said.

"The scientific industry continues to attract and depend on women at all levels, from biomedical and pharmaceutical researchers to sales, marketing and brand managers," she said. "It is important that we offer peer support, education and ideas. The conference includes women from college age to seasoned professionals who want to make significant contributions to company growth as they assume new management positions."

The goal of the conference is to highlight numerous bioscience career options and to share practical concepts to advance the roles of women in the bioscience industry.

According to BioOhio, there are more than 1,600 bioscience-related organizations at over 3,000 facilities in 73 of 88 Ohio counties. These organizations manufacture products and provide essential research in service to a global industry.

Spung has worked with OffWhite since 1998. As the company's creative director she oversees brand strategy for clients worldwide.